The Next Big Idea Daily
An Olympian’s Guide to Chasing Dreams and Befriending Pain
Aug 5, 2024
In this episode, Alexi Pappas, an Olympian and acclaimed filmmaker, shares her inspiring journey from competing in the 10,000m at the 2016 Olympics to battling post-Olympic depression. She emphasizes the importance of storytelling and reframing personal narratives. Alexi discusses strategies for managing pain and mental health in athletics, illustrating how accepting challenges can lead to growth. Her insights offer a powerful reminder that the pursuit of dreams often requires embracing discomfort and a brave mindset.
11:51
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Quick takeaways
- Reframing goals and personal narratives allows individuals to celebrate their perceived failures as achievements, profoundly affecting their emotional well-being.
- Redefining bravery as an inward journey emphasizes the importance of addressing mental health struggles in the same way we address physical injuries.
Deep dives
The Power of Reframing Goals
Reframing goals and rewriting personal narratives can significantly impact how individuals perceive their experiences. By sharing her post-Olympic depression, the speaker highlights how changing one's perspective can turn perceived failures into achievements. For example, after realizing she could not meet her original time goal during the Chicago Marathon, she shifted her focus to simply finishing the race, which she celebrated as a victory. This approach demonstrates that the way we interpret our experiences dictates our emotions and emphasizes the importance of being the hero of one’s own story.
